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Issue 3 2014 Freight Business Journal


Wind in Hull’s sails as Siemens confirms factory plan


Siemens has confirmed long- standing plans, announced in January 2011, to build a new wind turbine factory in the port of Hull. The German owned engineering firm is investing £160m in Green Port Hull at the city’s Alexandra Dock and in a new blade factory. Associated British Ports


(ABP) is partnering Siemens and investing £150m in the project. Construction, under a revised


and extended plan, will be on two sites including the ‘Green Port Hull’ site on Alexandra Dock at the Port of Hull, which will comprise a construction, assembly and service facility, along with a new rotor blade manufacturing facility in the nearby village of Paull. Siemens and ABP will submit


planning applications to Hull City Council and East Riding Council over the next few months for revisions to the existing proposed scheme at Alexandra Dock and for land in Paull in East Riding for the wind turbine blade factory. The scheme will result in some


relocation of existing activity to elsewhere on the estate and ABP, local councils and the Highways Agency are evaluating a number of proposals to improve traffic


flow to the port. Green Port Hull is planned to


be operational in early 2016. The start of production at the blade factory is scheduled for mid 2016 with full production levels reached from mid-2017 onwards, supplying turbines to offshore wind farms including Dogger Bank.


ABP director, Humber,


John Fitzgerald said the announcement was “a landmark moment for


this city and


the wider Humber region. Green Port Hull has received overwhelming support from all our stakeholders since its inception in 2010 and we thank all those involved in bringing us to what is arguably the most important announcement in this area for decades. We look forward to delivering the jobs and prosperity this project will undoubtedly bring.” Prime Minister David


Cameron also welcomed the news, saying: “This investment is going to create lots of new jobs and opportunities, meaning more financial security and peace of mind for families and a more resilient economy for our country.” ABP chief executive James Cooper added: “Our investment


Firms back Heathrow >> 1


region that depend on H ea thr o w


and that is a serious number of people to brush aside in this debate. I think it’s essential that Heathrow remains a hub airport and expands to enable companies like ours to grow rather than decline.” Back Heathrow campaign


director, Rob Gray said that thousands of residents and


in Green Port Hull will ensure the supply chain supporting this exciting new industry can be centred on the Humber. We are delighted that Siemens has chosen to partner with us to realise this exciting project.” ABP’s Port of Grimsby on


the other side of the Humber already handles offshore wind traffic with energy companies such as Centrica, E.On, and Siemens having already established operations and maintenance bases there. Michael Suess, member of


the managing board of Siemens AG and CEO of


the Energy


Sector, concluded, saying: “Our decision to construct a production facility for offshore wind turbines


in England is


businesses were supporting the campaign “because the alternative does not bear thinking about. We do not want to see Heathrow decline or close, with the job losses that would bring. But we need many more supporters to make sure politicians understand that the vast majority of local people want Heathrow to grow and succeed whilst west London.”


remaining in


part of our global strategy: we invest in markets with reliable conditions that can ensure that factories can work to capacity. The British energy policy creates a favourable framework for the expansion of offshore wind energy. In particular, it recognizes the potential of offshore wind energy within the overall portfolio of energy production. “The offshore wind market in


Great Britain has high growth rates, with an even greater potential


for the future. Wind


power capacity has doubled here within two years, to roughly 10 gigawatts. By 2020, a capacity of 14 gigawatts is to be installed at sea alone to combine the country’s environmental objectives with secure power supply. Projects for just over 40 gigawatts are currently in long- term planning.”


l ABP has welcomed a Parliamentary review of Able UK’s plans to build a Marine Energy Park (AMEP) at East Halton in the Humber Estuary – a project that could conflict with its own development plans for the area. ABP, which operates the nearby port of Immingham, said that it welcomed the committee chairman’s call at a hearing on 3 April that both parties should work to reach a compromise as soon as possible. Special hearings in front of


a Parliamentary Committee will now follow. ABP said it was “extremely keen that swiſt progress is made”, adding that the decision was “undoubtedly a positive step forward and can now pave the way for a compromise to be agreed that will successfully deliver both AMEP and ABP’s Immingham Western Deepwater Jetty without further delay.”


///NEWS Osborne promises


‘best export finance scheme in Europe’


Chancellor George Osborne vowed to make UK government export


finance the most


competitive in Europe and end UK Export Finance’s status as lender of last resort, in his Budget on 19 March. UKEF will boost its Direct Lending programme and consult on changes to broaden its powers, he said. The Direct Lending scheme


was launched in 2013 to help UK exporters who were having difficulties securing export finance from other sources by offering them direct loans. The scheme was initially structured as a backstop, but the Government had decided to double the amount of lending to £3 billion and to make it permanent. The Government will also start


an Export Refinancing Facility (ERF) by the end of April 2014, to ensure that long-term funding is available to overseas buyers of British exports when supported by UK Export Finance. Director general of the British


International Freight Association (BIFA), Peter Quantrill said in response: “In the budget, the Chancellor placed the emphasis on getting more businesses exporting. Of late, BIFA members have been reasonably confident about growth but have noticed that much of that growth is UK based, so it is good to see such a significant commitment to higher export subsidies for business.


Hapag-Lloyd and CSAV confirmed their long anticipated merger on 16 April. Under the deal, which will make Hapag Lloyd the world’s fourth-largest container line, the South American carrier initially becomes a 30% shareholder in the


Rhenus’ David Williams: “Shot in the arm” “The announcement that export


funding is being increased to £3 billion should provide tangible support for UK manufacturers to enter new overseas markets, not just in the EU, but further afield in fast growing markets in South East Asia and South America for example.” The export funding was also


welcomed by the managing director of forwarder Rhenus UK, David Williams who described the move to increase export funding from £1.5bn to £3bn as “a real shot in the arm for small and medium sized businesses, who may not have considered exporting as a viable option to grow. This announcement provides tangible support for UK manufacturers to enter new overseas markets, not just in the EU, but further afield in fast growing markets such as India and South America,” he added.


Hapag Lloyd and CSAV to merge


German company, increasing to 34% when a €370 million capital increase is concluded, of which CSAV will contribute €259m. The merged company will be headquartered in Hamburg, with a regional office in Chile.


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